This invention relates in general to vehicle wheels and in particular to an improved full face fabricated euroflange type of vehicle wheel and method for producing the same.
A conventional fabricated vehicle wheel is typically of a two-piece construction and includes an inner disc and an outer “full” rim. The disc can be cast, forged, or fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inner annular wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion. The wheel mounting portion defines an inboard mounting surface and includes a center pilot or hub hole, and a plurality of lug receiving holes formed therethrough for mounting the wheel to an axle of the vehicle. The rim is fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, an outboard tire bead seat, and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. In some instances, a three-piece wheel construction having a mounting cup secured to the disc is used. In both types of constructions, the outer annular portion of the disc is typically secured to the rim by welding.
A conventional full face fabricated vehicle wheel is distinguished from other types of fabricated wheels by having a one-piece wheel disc construction. In particular, the full face wheel includes a “full face” disc and a “partial” rim. The full face disc can be formed cast, forged, or fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys. The full face disc includes an inner annular wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion which defines at least a portion of an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel. The wheel mounting portion defines an inboard mounting surface and includes a center pilot or hub hole, and a plurality of lug receiving holes formed therethrough for mounting the wheel to an axle of the vehicle. The partial rim is fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, and an outboard tire bead seat. In some instances, the outboard tire bead seat of the rim and the outer annular portion of the disc cooperate to form the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the full face wheel. In both types of constructions, the outboard tire bead seat of the rim is positioned adjacent the outer annular portion of the disc and a weld is applied to secure the rim and the disc together.
A typical euroflange type of vehicle wheel may be formed as a one piece cast wheel or may be as a two piece fabricated euroflange vehicle wheel having a cast outer disc and a full face wheel disc and a partial wheel rim, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,792 to Archibald. In both types of constructions, the wheel does not include an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange having a generally axially outwardly extending lip or portion capable of receiving a conventional wheel balance weight.